Man wanted in Fla. assault caught in Henniker

By NANCY BEAN FOSTERUnion Leader CorrespondentFebruary 18. 2014 9:13PMHENNIKER — A man wanted in Florida for what police say was a “brutal assault” was arrested in Henniker on Feb. 14 and is now being held without bail awaiting extradition to the Sunshine State.

While looking for a car that was reported stuck in a snowbank on Dudley Pond Road, officers from the Deering and Henniker police departments came across a vehicle parked on the boat ramp on Pleasant Pond, according to a news release from the Henniker Police Department.

Police spoke with the driver, Kevin Vachon, 24, of Tamworth, and his passenger, Adam Richard Hale, 22, of St. Petersburg, Fla. Vachon told police that he was showing Hale around the area, according to the release.

The officers discovered that Hale was wanted in Putnam County, Fla., for attempted first-degree murder, home invasion robbery and grand theft of a motor vehicle.

Henniker Police Chief Ryan Murdough said he spoke with a detective in Florida and was told that Hale allegedly broke into a home intending to rob the occupant.

“Apparently he committed a brutal assault on a guy using a pipe to get a small amount of money and a car,” said Murdough.

Hale is being held without bail on a fugitive from justice charge after a video arraignment on Tuesday at Hillsborough District Court.

Vachon was arrested and charged with possession of synthetic cannabinoids, an alternative to marijuana that, depending on its chemical components, can be considered illegal.

“Fake pot” seized

Murdough said that the federal Drug Enforcement Agency has identified a number of chemicals often used in synthetic cannabinoids as illegal under the Controlled Substances Act.

According to the DEA, synthetic cannabinoids, or “fake pot” is a blend of herbs that has been laced with chemicals intended to mimic the effects of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. The synthetic products are often sold at stores as potpourri or incense. Last May, the DEA made three of the chemicals commonly found in synthetic cannabinoids temporarily illegal due to the severe “psychotic and violent behavior” exhibited by some of its users who tend to be teenagers and young adults.

But to determine if Vachon’s cache included the chemicals prohibited by the DEA, detectives will have to send the substance seized from Vachon’s car off for testing, Murdough said.

“They had a bunch of this stuff on them,” said Murdough, “but they said they bought a lot of it at a store in Concord, so we’ll have to see.”

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